PLS DEDUCTS E60 000 FROM ‘BULL’, ‘WESLIANS’

MBABANE – Teams owing the Premier League of Swaziland (PLS) are in for a shock in the remaining games of the campaign.

The PLS is owed hundreds of thousands, slightly over half a million Emalangeni in fines and loans. It is out to get back its dues from all owing clubs, and that process includes deductions of up to 50 per cent from gate collections and prize money.

Last weekend’s semi-finalists on Sunday, Mbabane Highlanders and Manzini Wanderers attracted a big crowd and the overall collection was E243 000 before 10 and 20 per cent stadium and PLS deductions were respectively effected.
After these deductions, which amount to E68 040, a further 40 per cent (E34 992) was deducted from Highlanders’ share of E87 480, which left them with E52 488. For Wanderers, 30 per cent was deducted which is equivalent to E26 244 and had to take home E61 236.

In essence, the clubs shared E113 724 instead of E174 960 due to the owed loans and fines’ deductions.
“We reminded all owing clubs in both elite and First Division that the season was almost over and we must have collected our money. We told them it will now be 50 per cent of their gate collections and prize monies but if they don’t settle they’ll carry through to next season otherwise we’re doing our best to get the money back,” PLS’ COO Pat Vilakati said.

However, he explained that Highlanders and Wanderers did not get the 50 per cent deduction in the SwaziBank Cup semi-final collections, instead they entered into new agreements with the PLS.
“The arrangement is that we take 30 per cent from Wanderers and 40 per cent from Highlanders,” he explained with both clubs’ debts well over E300 000 two months ago when the memo reminding clubs to settle their debts, which include referees allowances, was issued.

Questioned about Saturday’s semi-final in Nhlangano where Buffaloes was against Green Mamba, he said no deductions were effected there save for the stadium and PLS levies. A meagre E23 000 had been collected on the day; a reasonable huge crowd given it was the forces teams only. Wanderers’ CEO Pat Mahlalela confirmed their arrangement with the PLS.
“They actually took 50 per cent in last eight games but I then requested they cut to 30 per cent and they sincerely agreed. We are grateful to the PLS for their understanding in this regard,” he said.
Highlanders’ CEO Celucolo ‘Dino’ Dlamini could not be immediately reached as his cell phone rang unanswered and was not responding on social media as well. Most clubs will also have their Ingwenyama Cup, MTN League and SwaziBank Cup prize monies deducted by the PLS which confirmed that only one team of the 24 did not owe it but never mentioned a name.

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